Candlelight Stroll sets record; holiday house tours this weekend

fosters.com

Writer

Posted Dec. 27, 2012 at 3:15 AM

Posted Dec. 27, 2012 at 3:15 AM

PORTSMOUTH — In a December that brought more than its share of challenges, the Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke Museum, an anchor of the Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth celebration, broke the attendance record for the event. The Museum welcomed nearly 11,000 guests over the six nights of the event. The previous record, set in 1990, was just under 10,000 visitors for Candlelight Stroll.

The first and third Saturdays of Stroll were especially well-attended, with nearly 4,000 guests per night. Spread over Strawbery Banke’s 10 acres and 37 buildings, the crowd enjoyed a dazzling program organized by Kathleen Churchill, the Museum Events Manager, including lights and candle luminaria, the bonfire and the extensively-decorated houses, while 245 volunteers including 50 junior role-players, holiday performers and craftspeople portrayed “A Winter’s Eve on Puddle Dock.”

“We are thrilled that so many people enjoyed Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke this year,” said Lawrence J. Yerdon, President and CEO of Strawbery Banke Museum. “So many hundreds of people work for so many months to create the experience that lasts just six nights; so we are pleased for our volunteers, sponsors, staff and all those who support the effort when it is as evident — as it was this year — that Candlelight Stroll is a much-cherished tradition for all who attend.”

Performers included Pontine Theatre and Magic of the Steelgraves in the Rowland Gallery; Richard Spicer on harpsichord in the Chase House; Ballymac, Sassafras String Band, Chuck Walker Trio, TJ Wheeler, Gary Sredzienski, Great Bay Sailor, Late Bloomers and Sweet, Hot & Sassy in the Cider Shed; Seacoast Men of Harmony, Profile Chorus, PCA Voices, Sounds of the Seacoast, Overtones, Profile Granite State Choral Society, RNH Show Chorus, Dover High Chamber Singers, Winnacunnet Chamber Singers, St. John’s Prep School and members of the Portsmouth High School Choirs on the grounds and the Portsmouth Brass Band at the bonfire. Rebecca Rule offered a book signing in the Museum Store and Diane Dean, Phyllis Kraunz, Tony McManus, Larry Yerdon, Eleonore Sanderson and Heather Thompson played traditional holiday music in the Visitor Center on the piano supplied by Darrell’s Music Hall.

One ticket holder wrote to comment, “My husband and I were surprised at the number of folks that had come to partake in the stroll. I was a wee bit nervous about the number of small children at the end of the day participating but surprisingly the children seemed to enjoy the event as much as their parents did, with little or no fussing … It was a reasonably priced evening filled with sights, smells and history of Strawberry Banke’s Christmas of long ago. Thank you and thanks to all of the many people that volunteered their time to make the event such an enjoyable one.”

Strawbery Banke is offering 90-minute guided tours of five of the decorated holiday houses, Dec. 26-30. Tours leave on the hour, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and visit the Goodwin Mansion, Chase House, the Shapiro House, Abbott Store and Wheelwright House where visitors can enjoy a hearth-cooking demonstration. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for children 5-17 and free for children under 5. The Museum Store is open daily, 10-4 pm. For information, call 630-433-1114.

Strawbery Banke is now preparing for the 2013 season and the May 1 opening. Lectures, winter vacation camp and other events are posted on the Museum’s website calendar. For information on the 2013 calendar, visit www.strawberybanke.org